# Can anybody easily understand Leo Bloom? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 16, 2018, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203 "2018-06-16T14:04:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/1 "2018-06-16T14:04:57Z")
Prompted by [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=856802](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=856802) This isn’t meant to be an all out attack, but since it’s asking a question about another poster with a negative tint to it, the Pit is the only appropriate place. I think **Leo Bloom** ’s posts are borderline incomprehensible. When he gets defensive he suddenly talks a lot clearer and blames pilers on as though there are only a few people who have trouble with his message and everybody else reads him clearly. How many people are there who can read **Leo Bloom** quickly and clearly, the way that I assume you can read this post? If you can make out what he says only after reparsing it in your head a few times, that is not quickly and clearly, neither is it quick and clear if you ignore some digressions because you have no idea what their point is, but still assume you’ve got the meat of what he’s trying to say. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/2 "2018-06-16T14:42:20Z")
I can understand him. He posts in drunk-speak. His name is a reference to a James Joyce character, meaning he probably has internalized and glorified the idea of drinking and being some kind of lovably-eccentric drunken literary character. Well, it’s less lovable than he thinks. But it’s still _kind_ of lovable, honestly. His posts are frequently quite amusing. I’d say in the final analysis, I’d rather have him here than not. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/3 "2018-06-16T14:50:00Z")
I often have a hard time, but not with the post linked in the OP, which was clear enough even though I don’t really do Thread Games. I didn’t even have to click his example links to know what he was talking about. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/4 "2018-06-16T14:53:32Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > I can understand him. He posts in drunk-speak. His name is a reference to a James Joyce character, meaning he probably has internalized and glorified the idea of drinking and being some kind of lovably-eccentric drunken literary character. Well, it’s less lovable than he thinks. But it’s still _kind_ of lovable, honestly. His posts are frequently quite amusing. I’d say in the final analysis, I’d rather have him here than not. My understanding is that is not where his name comes from. I think it’s from The Producers ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/5 "2018-06-16T17:05:02Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > My understanding is that is not where his name comes from. > > I think it’s from The Producers Leo frequently quotes from James Joyce, and appears to know both _Ulysses_ and _Finnegan’s Wake_. I’m pretty sure he had Leopold Bloom in mind. Leo has said that he likes to write in a creative fashion. Unfortunately, he mistakes complexity for creativity. He complicates his posts so much that no one can understand them. He writes in that fashion to entertain himself, without understanding that he annoys the reader. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/6 "2018-06-16T17:25:39Z")
In real life, he’s Major Amos J. Hoople. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/7 "2018-06-16T17:31:05Z")
I have never found any of his posts incomprehensible, as far as I can remember. The one linked in the OP seems clear enough to me. What about it is not understandable, OP? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/8 "2018-06-16T17:31:57Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > In real life, he’s Major Amos J. Hoople. D’oh! :smack: That’s Major Amos **B.** Hoople. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/9 "2018-06-16T17:40:48Z")
\*\*\*\*Was unaware of Leo Bloom prior to this but after reading the OP’s link I came away with the impression of someone coming across like a **dougie\_monty** -like obtuse dandy. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/10 "2018-06-16T17:44:22Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > D’oh! :smack: That’s Major Amos **B.** Hoople. Well, _now_ it all makes sense. I could google the good Major, but I find a certain amusement in being unable to comprehend a post in a “Is this other guy over here incomprehensible?” thread. ETA: I really miss **dougie monty** , and would often look to see what he was getting his knickers twisted about. But he was painfully obvious, to the point of taking everything literally and being offended. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/11 "2018-06-16T17:44:57Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > I have never found any of his posts incomprehensible, as far as I can remember. The one linked in the OP seems clear enough to me. What about it is not understandable, OP? The one in the link is not that bad by **Leo Bloom** standards, it’s just the defensiveness shown in that thread that prompted this one. By **Leo Bloom** standards the OP of the linked thread has something like a 3/10 incomprehensibility factor, but is still pointlessly meandering with several useless digressions. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/12 "2018-06-16T18:14:52Z")
Not the first time he’s been pitted for this, IIRC. If I’m not mistaken, the last time around was for a particularly confusing post, even for him, about how elevators work, or something of the sort? Can’t find it now, but man it was a real beaut. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/13 "2018-06-16T18:28:26Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > D’oh! :smack: That’s Major Amos **B.** Hoople. Has he ever said: “Harrumph- egad!” ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/14 "2018-06-16T18:34:34Z")
I read the first sentence in the OP’s link, and have no idea what it meant. I read it once, just once. I’m not here to pick on Leo Bloom, BTW. I don’t have an opinion one way or the other. But if I read a sentence like that in an OP, I’ll be moving on. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/15 "2018-06-16T19:05:06Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > I read the first sentence in the OP’s link, and have no idea what it meant. I read it once, just once. > I’m not here to pick on Leo Bloom, BTW. I don’t have an opinion one way or the other. But if I read a sentence like that in an OP, I’ll be moving on. I was just going to post this. If I can’t parse through one of his OPs the first time, I’m not about to try again. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/16 "2018-06-16T19:25:39Z")
Today is Bloomsday, isn’t it? Should have saved this pitting for Major Hoopleday. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/17 "2018-06-16T19:39:38Z")
> [@Mr\_Shine](#): > > How many people are there who can read **Leo Bloom** quickly and clearly, the way that I assume you can read this post? I can. I’ve also read _Ulysses_. And I can sing all the songs from The Producers. I like elucidator’s jokes, too. \. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/18 "2018-06-16T19:51:18Z")
He can be challenging. Sometimes it takes a second read. There’s no speed reading through his posts to capture the heart of the matter. I generally find his posts worth the bit of extra effort, though. He could certainly reduce the challenge, while keeping the content, with a little bit of editing. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/19 "2018-06-16T19:59:38Z")
My problem with the linked thread is that the OP is a mess, the first few responses are asking him what the heck he meant, and Meesta Bloooom\* waits two days (until after he saw this thread, maybe?) to drop back in and try to explain. \*I can’t read his name without hearing the receptionist from the original Producers answer the phone with “Bi-yoll-ee-schtock oond Bloooom!” ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203/20 "2018-06-16T20:00:21Z")
As someone who often edits and re-edits his sentences, I sympathize with those who write convoluted prose. That last sentence took me 5 or 6 tries. :smack: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anybody-easily-understand-leo-bloom/816203.md?page=2)